Ministry of External Affairs: Challenges and Recommendations

India's rise on the global stage, bolstered by economic growth and strategic autonomy, necessitates an efficient organizational structure within the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). This structure is critical for sustaining India’s expanded global role, as evidenced by successful initiatives like its G20 presidency and leadership in vaccine diplomacy.

Current Staffing and Structural Challenges

• The MEA employs approximately 850 Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officers across 193 embassies and consulates, which is significantly less compared to the U.S. (14,500), the U.K. (4,600), and Russia (4,500).
• The annual intake has increased but remains insufficient. It would take decades to reach an optimal workforce of 1,500 officers.
• Fragmentation within MEA's divisions affects efficiency. For example, India's immediate neighborhood is split among four divisions, leading to oversight risks.

Proposed Solutions

• Lateral hiring from other government services, like defense personnel and academics, should be pursued with strict selection and probation criteria.
• Reorganize internal divisions to reduce fragmentation and improve coordination.
• Enhance incentives for officers in India by providing better housing, medical coverage, and financial allowances.

Language and Specialist Roles

• Ensure that language-trained officers are posted appropriately to leverage their skills and reduce dependency on interpreters.
• Encourage officers to specialize in areas such as cybersecurity, space policy, and artificial intelligence, hiring domain experts for these roles.

Efforts and Future Directions

• The MEA has created divisions like Policy, Planning and Research to adapt to global trends.
• The leadership of Dr. S. Jaishankar has been pivotal in aligning foreign policy with India's aspirations of becoming a "Viksit Bharat" (Developed India) by 2047.